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Only available on Linux

Today I am going to publish some funny and essential handful feature of Linux which are not available on Windows OS yet. I am using Ubuntu 10.04 to describe the functions and showing the screen-shots.

Stretching a Desktop Icon:You can stretch a desktop icon as your desired size. It can bring back to normal size only with a one click.

stretch desktop icon to a bigger size

Tab on File browser:Tabbed browsing introduced by Firefox (I guess, not sure). This feature so much helpful that every browser make it a trend on their newer release. Even Internet Explorer had to add tab feature. Tab is so helpful that everybody who use it can understand. Nautilus File browser has this great feature. If you use 'Nautilus File Browser' to search for files then tabbed windows will help you more to locate and short files.

Tabbed browsing on file manager

Extra Pan on File browser.Extra everything (good ones) bring extra benefit. There is an extra window on 'Nautilus File Browser'. The habit of opening another window again an again is dead. Not you do not need to close any opened wind to search another folder or file. Press F3 and get an extra pan on current window. You can browse them using single left tree (location bar).

Extra Pan on Nautilus file manager

Drawer:What a great idea of Linux developers. I am really impressed with this funny essential tool. You can add may drawer on any panel (top or bottom) and place any link from anywhere. You can even add the whole Ubuntu menu on a single ribbon-like drawer. Color it, resize it, decorate it in your own way and style.

Ubuntu drawer on action

Conky:Oh! What a special thing windows users are missing! They can't believe and understand it. Conky is a powerful informative desktop attached tool to monitor various system information. I found a little info at 'Synaptic package manager'-

Conky is a system monitor that can display just about anything, either on your root desktop or in its own window. Conky has many built-in objects, as well as the ability to execute external programs or scripts (either external or through built-in lua support). Conky is a system monitor that can display just about anything, either on your root desktop or in its own window. Conky has many built-in objects, as well as the ability to execute external programs or scripts (either external or through built-in lua support).

One More Panels:I have two panels on Gnome desktop (I can add another panel on LXDE desktop, have not check KDE and XFCE). Do you know I can add two more panels on my right and left side? More panels mean more links infront of me. I loved “Windows quick launch bar”. But it has very small place to add one click links. I had no option to add more one click links on desktop area. But linux give me freedom to add more and more one click links on desktop.

Hiding Panels:Hiding a panel can give me more space to perform a task. You can enable 'Hiding button' from every panels 'Properties Menu'. You can hid a full panel on right side or left side or top side or bottom side. Attractive but valuable function.

Hide button on bottom panel

Enabling a 'Hide' button on panel is very easy. Right click on any place of a panel. 'Panel Properties' will open. Select (or tick) on 'Show Hide buttons'. You don't need to 'Apply' or click 'OK', Just close 'Panel Properties' effect will start instantly.

Enable hide button on panel properties

The Applets:Applets are another lovely, tiny, powerful tools based on various task. You can done many kinds of job with this handy applets.

Ubuntu applets

The WorkspaceNormally an windows user have only one desktop by default. But every linux distribution has a great feature named “The Workspace”. It give you extra desktop/ workspace to do job. You can add up to 20 workspace in your Linux system.

Workspace on bottom panel

Switching workspace is the ESSENTIAL part of effective work-flow but Windows officials did not think it.

Bundled Software, drivers and the huge collection:Most of the Linux distribution comes with many essential daily needs software. Any (most of) newly installed Linux distribution will install the operating system itself with 'Office package'. You do not need to buy it or install any 'Office package' later. No need to require any further hardware driver. If you connect 'Linux installed harddisk' on another motherboard, then it won't disturb you offering any hardware installation. Instant hardware detecting is a simple job in Linux.

And nothing to say about the quantity of offered available program via synaptic package manager. In this moment at least 32744 items are available on “Ubuntu Software Center”. All are licensed copy. But do not thirsty for a single dollar.

Finally I must say about the helpful community of every Linux distribution. Every Linux variants has their own online forum. You can call it official supporting system. Because officially employed/ supported moderators answer problem topic. They love to help people and work hard to support them in any trouble. Anybody from any country of this world can submit a problem and get answer from these forum. All great, fixing supports are published for free to use and share. This is Linux philosophy. Helping other mean helping human kind.

None of the discussed Linux features require any more download. You can get this features on many popular Linux distribution by default. No need to install or update to get these performs on newly installed Linux system.

Graphical Disk Partition:Many of us thought that “Partitioning in Linux is very hard, I can't understand it. It is a real difficult configuration on Linux.” But, I will say, wait before talk much. Linux partitioning system is a graphical thing. Not like a dos like (terminal like) programme. You do not need to remember anything, Change harddisk's value or task viewing on own eye. Use mouse to cut your harddisk. By the way, I think partitioning in Linux is very easy. Because you can do this critical job using graphical interface. Do not need to do on DOS like environment. Do everything with mouse click. Do not need to remember any command or guess anything. I will discuss partitioning in Linux method on a future post.

Various Desktop EnvironmentOnly Linux has various kind of Desktop Environment to work through. No one on Windows community can think about the beauty and usability of KDE, GNOME, LXDE, XFCE or anything else. Windows has only one environment and is not possible to change it. Actually Linux has the philosophical understand of changing ability or choice of a desktop environment. Even you can change file manager if you not feel familiar on current one.

I can't end this post. Because a conclusion can not stop completing this kind of list. Linux has many many feature which are still in dream on the other operating system's community. I can say only one word- Use it and Learn it.